Theresidential landscapingyou choose for your home can change the entire appearance of your property, making it seem cozy and whimsical or more stately and modern. The right landscaping features can even add security to your house, enhancing your home's curb appeal while also discouraging intruders from setting foot on the property.

Residential Landscaping Boston, MA:Today top residential landscape design trends include woodsy touches that evoke the backwoods of nature, as well as elegant features that dress up a suburban home. Popular trends also include landscaping features that work as privacy and security fencing and those that are sustainable and eco-friendly.
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1. Woodsy and Whimsical

Even a standard suburban home can feel like a rustic log cabin retreat when you choose a woodsy landscaping design. To make your home seem a bit more relaxing and close to nature, consider someresidential landscaping servicesfor making your property more woodsy and whimsical:
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Plant lots of tall, mature trees to recreate the feeling of being in an actual forest! Be sure to trim lower branches so they don't harm electrical wires or drop sap and other debris onto a home's roof.

Use river rocks and patio stone pavers versus concrete for your home's walkways.

Choose shrubbery and hedges that don't need to be trimmed and let these features grow to be natural, lush, and full.​

2. Light and Bright

While many landscaping designs will feature bold, colorful flowers, a light and bright theme can make your property seem modern and clean. To keep a light and bright look outside your home without creating a sterile environment, note a few tips:

Expand the home's walkways and driveways as far as possible and use white or grey river rocks and stone pavers for walking or driving surfaces.

Add bushes with white flowers, or those with just a slight bit of color. Some excellent choices include Japanese snowball, crape myrtle, dogwood, and hydrangeas.

Be sure to keep some greenery on the property to offset the white and grey tones, and keep your landscaping from looking washed out. Plant emerald and gold wintercreeper or boxwood shrubs behind your white flowers or in between those blooms, for eye-catching appeal that is still light and bright.

3. Natural Water Features

A fountain is a great touch for any property, but natural water features can seem more inviting and attractive. A natural waterfall typically only needs a small hill or slope to provide the falling water an edge to follow. This slope can also hide the mechanics used to circulate the water from the bottom of the fall to its top.
​Other favorite water elements to add to your property include natural ponds created with a stone or river rock base, with koi or different types of fish. A plant pond is also very popular; this pond will hold lots of reeds, fronds, and other such plants, breaking up the look of the water and helping to keep it aerated and clean.

4. Outdoor Seating

A back porch or timber deck may not be enough space for you to enjoy your property, and outdoor seating built into your landscaping can look more cohesive and coordinated than random seating pits. Consider a few suggestions you might discuss with yourresidential landscaping companyfor adding outdoor seating to your property's landscaping:

A pergola can anchor a swing or other seating feature in the middle of your property, away from the home and garage. This space can be a great place to relax when you need a bit of privacy or want to be surrounded by your outdoor landscaping features rather than sitting next to the house itself!

A stone seating feature can be built by stacking flat stones to create an outdoor bench in any area of the property. Add some outdoor cushions for comfort, and you have a very natural and rustic place to sit and relax or entertain friends.

An outdoor wood bench fits any landscaping feature and can be added to flowerbeds or nestled right up against shrubbery.

5. Shrubbery Walls

Shrubbery and hedges are often being used to create walls or fencing between neighbors, or for anchoring seating areas. Thick, dense shrubs and hedges can block the view of your seating area and provide sound insulation, while also keeping your back porch or other areas of your property looking natural and lush. If you're not sure what types of shrubbery or hedges would work for insulating and adding privacy to your space, note a few suggestions:

Boxwood hedges can be trimmed and cut into an immaculate and precise box shape. These hedges are an excellent choice for modern homes or for when you prefer a more manicured look to your hedges.

Arborvitae hedges resemble evergreen trees, with a tapered and pointed top. These can also be trimmed into a very manicured shape while offering a bit of added style because of their height.

Privet hedges are more rustic and natural, with a full, rounded shape that looks like a cross between a bush and a tree! Privet hedges are easy to maintain as they don't need precise trimming, while they still provide lots of thickness for privacy and sound insulation.

6. Living Walls

Living walls are a bit different than shrubbery walls, as living walls are made of vines that grow along wires or fencing material. These fencing materials are typically attached to an overhead canopy or fixture of some sort so that the vines themselves grow upward and create needed walls around seating areas.

Ivy is a classic choice for a living wall, although you can also plant grape leaves and morning glories for a thick and full vine that provides lots of privacy. Hydrangeas also get full and give a splash of color, while trumpet vines are very hearty and can survive through long Boston winters!

7. Residential Landscaping Designs that Add Security

While most homeowners want lots of added security around their property, they don't want to make their home look like a prison compound! Many landscaping features can add to a home's overall security while also enhancing the property's appearance and curb appeal; consider a few examples to discuss with yourresidential landscaping company:

Prickly or thorny shrubs planted under a home's lower story windows can discourage a burglar from taking cover behind those shrubs. While rosebushes are a very classic choice, you might also choose mountain pine for its thick, sharp needles, or firethorn bushes, which can provide a splash of color as well as prickly branches.

River rocks are very crunchy underfoot, which can alert a homeowner to an intruder on their property! Use river rocks around the flowerbeds along the home's exterior or to line driveways and walkways, which then increases the chances of an intruder having to walk on those rocks before they can reach your home.

Iron fences with pointed finials are very difficult to scale, but they can also look a bit stark and stately for a suburban home. Disguise these finials with flowering vines and creeping plants, such as honeysuckle, hydrangea, or morning glory. Wires can be stretched along the fence if the vines need a secure place for growing, and then also draped over the finials to tone down their look.

8. Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Options

Homeowners may not give much thought as to how landscaping features affect the environment, but a few tweaks to their property's overallresidential landscapingcan result in a very eco-friendly yard that helps nurture the environment. Consider a few options you might try outside your home:

Opt for flowers that attract bees and other pollinators, as these insects are needed for keeping all flowers and vegetation healthy. Roses, crocuses, black-eyed Susan, and zinnias are good choices.

Rainwater collection irrigation systems reduce the amount of fresh water you'll need to use to water your lawn and landscaping features. Underground PVC pipes that start at the end of your home's downspouts and snake around the lawn and landscaping features can collect dew from the home's roof that rolls down those gutters, keeping your property watered and healthy.

A composting bin or pit can give you space for creating natural fertilizer and plant food, without the use of harsh and harmful chemicals.

9. Monochrome Features

While lots of colors can add eye-catching appeal to yourresidential landscape design, a monochrome design can also be an excellent choice for bringing some unique personality to your space. A monochrome design includes just one type of very colorful flower, or you might choose a variety of flowers in the same color scheme.For example, if you love purple, you might plant jasmine, lilac, and sage in various spots around your property. If you prefer a bold red, opt for red roses, dahlia, or amaryllis. Yellow can bring in some brightness to an otherwise dull yard, so plant gold dust hedges, teacup roses, and daffodils in various spots.Remember to discuss your preferences forresidential landscapingwith aresidential landscape architecture, so you get all the advice you need for a lush, beautiful exterior space.